Photo by Mt. Hafiza Khatun Shapla
Behind every headline, photo, story and layout, there’s a beating heart driven to keep a story from going untold.
You, journalists of Florida, have captured important truths, amplified voices that would have otherwise gone ignored and made people feel just a little more connected to their fellow man and woman.
You got that story, drew that illustration, snapped that photo or hit on that headline — now it’s time to grab the glory!
We’re officially putting out the call to be part of a longstanding tradition: The Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Competition is now open!
A FEW POINTERS FOR ENTERING:
All our contestants are “OPEN CALL,” so … Go to the Login Box in the center of the page (PLEASE ignore the “contestant login” tab at the top of the page), and if you haven’t entered before, click on “Create your Open Call account.”
DEADLINE: Sept. 22 2026 EXTENDED
Official Rules and Eligibility
The Excellence in Journalism Competition is open only to members of the Florida Press Club. Membership is $25 per person/per year and must be submitted with contest entry. If you are a contest administrator, please email a list containing your entrants’ names and email addresses to fpcpresident@gmail.com after submitting.
- Entries must have been published or produced in Florida or transmitted from Florida by a wire service between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026
- Fees are $15 per entry—with two exceptions. There will be a $25 fee per entry for the Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting and/or Frances DeVore Award for Public Service categories. Payment must be received with entries through PayPal.
- Limit of four names per credit line. After four, credit the entry as “Staff.”
- The same item may be entered in multiple categories. Each additional entry requires an additional $15 fee.
- Most writing, photography and illustration categories call for up to three samples of your work per entry. Do not enter more than three items unless the category calls for “up to five,” as in the case of the Frances DeVore Award for Public Service and the Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting. To add online entries, you can include URLs in a Word document.
- Improperly prepared entries or incomplete entry forms will be disqualified. Under no circumstances will entry fees be refunded.
- Judges may award first, second and third place winners in each category at their discretion. Decisions are final. No entries will be returned. Judges may elect to not award a category, or the club may choose to combine classes within a category.
- The first-place overall winner of the Frances DeVore Award will receive a $1,000 check at the annual awards meeting. Classes A-D will be combined. Winners are required to attend to receive their prize with very few exceptions (such as hospitalization). Entrant(s) must indicate on the entry form to whom the award check should be made payable.
- Work solely published on online platforms is eligible to enter any category that fits.
ENTRIES MUST BE UPLOADED, FINALIZED, AND PAID FOR BY Sept. 15, 2026. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Entry Categories
Writing:
Arts News: Submit up to three stories highlighting the art scene.
Breaking News: Submit up to three news stories that show deadline coverage of a breaking news event.
Business Writing: Submit up to three stories about business news events, trends, people, new products and technology.
Commentary Writing: Submit up to three columns, essays, think pieces or personal experience stories.
Community News: Submit up to three stories focusing on local community affairs.
Education News: Submit up to three stories from the education beat.
Environmental Writing: Submit up to three stories about environmental issues.
Food Writing: Submit up to three stories about dining, food or cooking.
General News: Submit up to three stories about non-deadline events.
Government and Political News: Submit up to three stories about municipal, county, state or federal government.
Headline Writing: Submit up to three headlines.
Health Writing: Submit up to three stories about health issues.
Light Feature Writing: Submit up to three stories from different human-interest assignments of a lighter nature (holiday, travel features).
Newsletters: Submit up to three examples of newsletters that serve as a conduit to news and information. Can be a digest of news and events, curated from multiple news outlets.
Opinion Writing: Submit up to three non-byline editorials about different Florida issues.
Public Safety Reporting: Submit up to three news stories about fire, police or criminal court events.
Religion Writing: Submit up to three stories about religion.
Serious Feature Writing: Submit up to three stories from different human-interest assignments of a serious nature (news features, in-depth profiles).
Sports Writing: Submit up to three stories from different sports events.
Sports Feature Writing: Submit up to three human-interest sports stories.
Sports Column: Submit up to three sports columns.
Travel and Tourism: Submit up to three stories about travel or tourism.
Underrepresented communities coverage: Submit up to three stories about issues of special concern to historically marginalized communities.
Layout:
Front Page Design: Submit up to three front pages.
Feature Page Design: Submit up to three fronts from the feature section.
Sports Page Design: Submit up to three sports fronts.
Special Sections:
Submit fashion, leisure, bridal, hurricane or other special sections that appear on an irregular or annual basis. Staff entries accepted.
Photography:
Breaking News: Submit up to three pictures of unscheduled or breaking news events for which no advanced planning was possible.
Feature Photo Essay: Submit one package showing a complete feature story. Staff entries accepted.
Features: Submit up to three pictures of a found situation or images created for a feature story with human interest. As a standalone, it’s a fresh view of an everyday scene.
General News: Submit up to three pictures of an organized event for which planning was possible.
Portrait/Personality: Submit up to three pictures that capture an aspect of a subject’s character.
Sports Action: Submit up to three pictures showing action in a game or athletic event.
Sports Feature: Submit up to three pictures showing non-action or a found situation with human interest at a game or athletic event.
Illustration:
Info-Graphic Presentation: Submit up to three samples of informational-graphics.
Artist Illustration: Submit up to three examples of artwork that illustrate an idea, scene or story. These can be drawings, photos, clip art, etc.
Editorial Cartooning: Submit up to three editorial/political cartoons about different Florida subjects.
Online:
Multimedia Package: Submit a link to the web page that shows the best use of multiple forms of media to enhance a story. These may include a combination of elements, such as interactive maps, rollovers, podcasts, photo galleries or other unique uses of technology. Upload URLs on a Word document, and make sure the broadcast dates are visible.
Affiliated News Site: A general excellence award. Judged on overall content and design, local emphasis, interactivity, ease of navigation and features not found in the print edition.
Unaffiliated News Site: A general excellence award. NOT A WRITING AWARD. Judged on overall content and design, local emphasis, interactivity and ease of navigation. Send screen grabs if you want to highlight particular days.
Special Awards:
Frances DeVore Award for Public Service: This is the club’s most prestigious award. It recognizes an outstanding contribution to the public good and celebrates journalism that makes a difference. Entries can include any package or series that reported conditions harmful to the public and resulted in action to alleviate those conditions. Entries must also include documentation showing that action was taken. That can include follow-up stories, written statements from officials or government reports. Judges will consider up to five combinations of photographs, originally produced artwork and graphics, as well as editorials and cartoons. A written introduction is advised to tell judges what happened and why it is important. It should outline the reporting process and any hurdles overcome to get the story, such as a public records battle. A $1,000 prize will be awarded to the overall, first-place winner of classes A-D. Staff entries accepted. The prize is awarded at the club’s annual event and the winners must be present at the event to collect the money. The winner should come prepared to deliver a short explanation of “How I got the story,” so all the members can benefit.
Lucy Morgan Award for In-Depth Reporting: This category is open to news, features, sports and editorial reporting. Submit a story package series of up to five clearly related or set of continuous stories on one subject. Staff entries accepted.